fine dining, part I

New York City has streets and avenues that run straight up and down, a subway system only comparable to Europe, beautiful people, quaint neighborhoods and delivery options well into the night. Corey and I returned a week ago and have been missing it ever since. We have been looking for hole-in-the-wall pizza places, hiding out by subway stops that serve brick-oven slices. When my stomach growls late into the night, I flip through an imaginary delivery menu in my head. But we won't be returning to the big mythic city for a while so I must relish the memory. I thought I would share with you the day by day menus of our journey to Manhattan with short jaunts to Philadelphia, Poughkeepsie and Brooklyn.

Saturday:

Brunch at Walker's, a small pub in Tribeca. I got an omelette with asparagus and bacon, Corey feasted on his signature huevos rancheros.

Trip to Philadelphia via Chinatown Bus.

Dinner at Abyssinia, an Ethiopian hole-in-the-wall. Awesome food served on a platter that engulfed the entire table. I caught up with old friends, Corey made some new ones. We walked upstairs to the new millenium's speak-easy, a bar called Fiume. After a couple of scotch and ginger ales, Corey was Philadelphia's biggest fan. We drove home listening to Beach House, a Vassar-related band that despite their name, captured the wintry cityscape.

Sunday:

Brunch at the Morning Glory, Philly's answer to Atlanta's original Flying Biscuit. I had a huge plate filled with hashbrowns, scrambled eggs and a square biscuit, a new shape to me! The food was scrumptious and served with homemade ketchup.

Back to New York City via Chinatown Bus.

Dinner at Max, a tiny spot in the East Village known for reasonable prices, dim lighting and really solid Italian food. I had their homemade fettucine and bolognese while Corey and my long-lost friend Carter had the gnocchi. The bowls of pasta were steaming while the temperature outside hovered somewhere around 10 degrees. Cab home!

Monday:

Quick breakfast of bagels and weak NYC coffee from a nearby deli. There was something oddly comforting about the coffee - no pretension, just coffee in logo-less paper cups. It was also nice to know that Seattle has something on New York. The bagels, on the other hand, were just what I've been missing. They were crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside and weighed down in cream cheese.

A massive walk around downtown. We went through Tribeca, Soho, the East Village, the Lower East Side, the West Village and back to Tribeca.

A stopover at Burritoville. It was like coming home again. I had my usual chicken burrito on a whole wheat tortilla with brown rice, cheese, plenty of guacamole and some delicious smoky salsa. I don't know why I love it but I do, I really really do.

The golden meal of our trip: The Orchard on the Lower East Side. Holy mackerel. We started with a homemade flat bread topped with the kitchen's own hummus, roasted seasonal peppers and eggplant. Nothing was overcooked, there was a little heat in the hummus and the flat bread had a satisfying crunch. The second appetizer (or "starter," the hipper term, I suppose) was a tuna tartare served with a luxuriously creamy guacamole. The tuna lacked any hint of a fishy flavor and went perfectly with the avocado. For the main course:

Susan - osso bucco with lemon infused polenta.
Corey - lamb tenderloin with mint and cream orzo.
Katy - seafood paella.

All entrees were stellar. My osso bucco was flaky and savory but so rich I could only eat a quarter of the generous portion.

For dessert:

White chocolate bread pudding with vanilla bean ice cream.
Molten chocolate cake with homemade whipped cream.
If my life depended on it, I could not be pressed to pick a favorite.

The Orchard was an amazing find - a wonderfully solid menu that was not inaccessibly gourmet but still quite special. Attention was payed to the details, the lighting made us all look gosh darn attractive, the wine menu was lengthy and unique. Go there, you must!

The rest of the week to come...